Mobile housing unit

ABSTRACT

A self-supported mobile housing unit comprising an upper part including a box-like framed structure that is supported on the ground by wheels attached by supports to the framed structure. The upper part has stationary walls. A lower part, that is interconnected with the upper part, has a horizontally extending floor and at least one upper and one lower wall section. The lower part is vertically moveable so as to be contained in the upper part upon actuation of a lifting mechanism carried by the framed structure. Upon movement of the lower part including the floor, the lower wall section and upper wall section move vertically into a telescopic nested position with the stationary walls of the upper part to allow a motor vehicle to be received under the upper part between the supports and coupled to the mobile housing unit. The walls of the upper part and lower part may be provided with openings and a telescoping door to provide egress from and ingress to the mobile housing unit.

United States Patent [191 Byer [ Nov. 27, 1973 MOBILE HOUSING UNITJoseph I. Byer, 2896 Radisson Ave., Windsor, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed:June 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 45,068

[76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Philip Goodman Attorney--Jerry G. Beck [57] ABSTRACT Aself-supported mobile housing unit comprising an upper part including abox-like framed structure that is supported on the ground by wheelsattached by supports to the framed structure. The upper part hasstationary walls. A lower part, that is interconnected with the upperpart, has a horizontally extending floor and at least one upper and onelower wall section. The lower part is vertically moveable so as to becontained in the upper part upon actuation of a lifting mechanismcarried by the framed structure. Upon movement of the lower partincluding the floor, the lower wall section and upper wall section movevertically into a telescopic nested position with the stationary wallsof the upper part to allow a motor vehicle to be received under theupper part between the supports and coupled to the mobile housing unit.The walls of the upper part and lower part may be provided with openingsand a telescoping door to provide egress from and ingress to the mobilehousing unit.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing, Figures IIEES INVENTOR JOSEPH I BYER BY gmATTORNEY PATENTEUNUYZY ms 3.774.955 saw u U? 4 I I I I l l l t.

E E Lg INVENTOR JOSEPH I. BYER M 805i ATTORNEY MOBILE HOUSING UNITBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention represents an improvementover the mobile housing unit described in US. Pat. No. 3,346,295 inthatthe lower part has its wall devided into at least one upper wallsection and at least one lower wall section that are vertically moveablein a telescopic manner so as to be in a nested position with thestationary walls of the upper part when the lower part is fullycontained in the upper part. This permits the lower part to have .aheight dimension of twice or more the height of the upper part. Thus,the overall height of the mobile housing unit in an extended positiondoes not have to be increased to provide optimum headroom inside themobile housing unit when the lower part has been lowered and the flooris at substantially ground level.

In the prior art US. Pat. No. 3,145,044 discloses a camper body which isextendable to a height higher than that of the cab of a pick-up truck inorder to provide. adequate room for camping. The walls of this camperbody have accordion walls which differentiates from the telescopic wallconstruction of this invention.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,739,833, a two-story house trailer is depicted inwhich the second story compartment has vertically extendible walls thatare constructed from telescopically arranged segments. Although a fewstructural details have some similarity to the structure shown in thisinvention, the overall function and objectives of the invention areentirely different.

Thelower part of the mobile housing unithas at least two wall sectionsthat will permit the wall sections of the lower part, upon being liftedvertically by the vertical upward movement of the floor, to be containedwithin the upper part so as to allow an automotive vehicle to bereceived under the lifted floor and be coupled thereto and the framedstructure of the mobile housing unit.

The automotive vehicle can now propel the mobile housing unit to itsdestination and, only after being uncoupled and moved from under thestructure, can the lower part and floor be lowered to effect a full sizemobile housing unit. In the prior art, the ceiling and walls are raisedto provide a second story compartment which extends above the height ofa regular trailer while in this invention the floor and sections of thelower walls are lowered to provide a full size mobile housing unit thatisnot larger than a conventional trailer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mobilehousing unit which is a substantial improvement over the mobile housingunit depicted in US. Pat. No. 3,346,295.

The self-supported mobile housing unit of this invention comprises anupper part including a framed structure supported on the ground by atleast two wheels. The upper part has at least one stationary wall. Alower part, which is interconnected with the upper part, has at leastone upper wall section and one lower wall section to which a floor isattached. It is to be understood that the lower part can have many wallsections to form thewalls of the lower part. A lifting mechanism carriedbythe framed structure is interconnected to the floor toallow the floorand the lower part to be raised vertically into the upper lart uponactuation of the lifting mechanism. During the raising of the lowerpart, the wall sections of the lower part are vertically moved fromtheir extended position into a telescopically nested position with eachother and with the stationary wall of the upper part.

Further, this invention provided a novel expandible opening, framed bystructural door frame members, in the wall of the upper part and in thewall sections of the lower part which allows ample room for egress andingress and into the mobile housing unit when the lower part is in itsfully extended position. A unique telescoping door for the opening isalso provided which automatically will extend itself, from its collapsedposition covering the opening in the stationary wall in theupper part,to a fully telescopically vertically extended position to cover theexpanded opening in the stationary wall of the upper part and in themoveable wall sections of the lower part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe mobile housing unit partially in section.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the mobile housing unit in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the door frame for themobile housing unit.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the mobile housing unit, with thelower part raised, being propelled by an automobile.

FIG. 6 is a partial rear elevational view of the mobile housing unitdepicting the door opening.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the door in a collapsed position.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.FIG. 10 is a front view, partially in section, of the door in anextended position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,in FIG. 1 and 2 is seen a fully extended mobile housing unit generallydesignated as 11. The unit 11 comprises a framed structure 12 which isself-supported by ground-engaging wheels 13 that are connected to eachside of the main portion of the structure 12 by vertical supports 14.The framed structure 12 has a rectangular roof structure 15 and fourvertical posts 16, approximately 3 feet long, extending downwardly fromthe roof structure. The lower ends of the corner posts 16 are connectedby horizontally extending rails 17, that are provided with a continuousinwardly extending flange 18 as seen in FIG. 3. Vertical wall panels 19enclose the sides to provide stationary walls 21 which, together withthe roof structure 15, define an upper part 22 of the mobile housingunit 1 l.

The supports 14 extend downward from the upper part 22 at a transversespacing that is sufficient to straddle a conventional automotive vehicle23 as seen in FIG. 5, the function and purpose thereof will be discussedhereafter. Each support 14 incorporates a coil spring suspension unit24. A bifurcated member 25 attached to the coil spring suspension 24straddles a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel 13 which is supported byan axle 26 carried by the bifurcated member 25. The coil springsuspension 24 absorbs the jounce and rebound movement of the wheels 13while the mobile housing unit 11 is traveling on the road. A fender 27connected to the support 14 and axle 26 partially encompasses the tire.

Some of the corner posts 16 are of a tubular configuration to house atelescopic stanchion 28 that can be extended downwardly to rest on theground as seen in FIG. 1. After the extended stanchion28 is locked intoplace, it provides a firm ground support for the parked mobile housingunit 11 together with the groundengaging wheels 13.

Windows 29 are installed in the upper part 22 by mounting fixed orsliding glass frames in the wall panels 19. On at least one side, inthis instance on the rear side of the upper part 22, a rectangularopening 31 is provided that is circumscribed by two fixed verticallyextending door frame members 32 and one fixed horizontally extendingdoor frame member 33 to frame the opening 31 on two sides and the top asbest seen in FIGS. 2 and 6. The opening 31 may extend to the roofstructure but usually terminates below the roof.

As seen in FIGS. 6, at the lower end of the vertically extending doorframe member 32 is a lower stub flange 34 that extends into the opening31. To the stub flange 34 is welded the continuous horizontallyextending rail 17 with its flange 18 extending inwardly into the upperpart 22 and continuing along the inside of the walls 19 until itconnects with stub flange 34 at the other door frame number 32 as seenin FIG. 4. The wall panels 19 are fastened to the outside of the rail 7and the roof structure 15.

The mobile housing unit 11 also has a lower part 35 which comprises ahorizontally extending floor 36 that is approximately equal in area withthe framed structure 12 of the upper part 22. The floor 36 has cut-outs37 that clear the fenders 27, wheels 13,.and supports 14 as best seen inFIG. 1 and 2. The lower part 35 has four vertical walls 38 that extendupward from the periphery of the floor 36. Each wall 38 has at least anupper wall section 39 and at least a lower wall section 41. The lowerwall section 41 comprises structural members 42 extending verticallyupward from each corner of the floor 36 with the bottom of each member42 attached to the floor 36 as seen in the cut away portion of FIG. 1. Arectangular frame 43 is attached to the top of each structural member42. The frame 43 has an outwardly extending flange 44. Stringers 45connect the frame 43 to the floor 36 immediate the structural members 42for additional strength as best seen in FIG. 3.

Vertical wall panels 19 are attached to the inward surface of the lowerwall section 41 and also may be attached to its outward surface andinsulation placed therebetween.

The upper wall section 39 is a construction similar to the lower wallsection 41 except that it is provided with rectangular frame 46 as itbottom instead of the floor 36. The upper wall section 39 is placedslightly outward of the lower wall section 41. As best seen in FIGS. 3and 4, the frame 46 has an inwardly extending flange 47 that is belowbut directly vertically aligned with flange 44 of the frame 43 of thelower wall section 41. A frame 48 at the top of the upper wall section39 also has a flange 49, that extends outwardly and overlaps 1 flange 18of the upper part 22.

In FIG. 6 is depicted the rear elevation of the mobile housing unit 11in which a second opening 51 is provided in the upper wall section 39.The opening 51 is in vertical alignment with but slightly smaller thanthe first opening 31 and framed by two vertically extending door framemembers 52, one on each side of the opening 51. As best seen in FIGS. 4and 7, the door frame members 52 extend outwardly of the upper wallsection 39 so that their outward facing surfaces are in the samevertical plane as the outside facing surfaces of the door frame members32 and 33.

Each door frame member 52 has a stub flange 53 at the upper end thatextends in a direction opposite of the second opening 51 and isvertically aligned with the horizontal flange 34 so as to overlap it. Atthe bottom of each door frame member 52 is a second stub flange 54 thatextends into the second opening 51.

The lower wall section 41 has a third opening 55 in the rear side of thelower part 35 which is framed by two vertically extending door framemembers 56 and the floor 36. The third opening 55 is slightly smallerthan, but in vertical alignment with, the second opening 51 as seen inFIG. 6. The door frame members 56 extend outwardly of the lower wallsection 41 so that their outside facing surfaces also lie in the samevertical plane as the outside facing surfaces of door frame members 32,52, & 56.

The upper end of door frame members 56 have a stub flange 57 extendinghorizontally in a direction away from the third opening 55 and invertical alignment with stub flange 54. The bottom ends of the doorframe members 56 are attached to the floor 36. A floor jamb 58 isattached to the floor 36 immediate to the vertical door frame members 56as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.

A lifting mechanism 59 is carried by the framed structure 12 in theupper part 22 below the roof structure 15 as seen in FIG. 1. The liftingmechanism 59, in this instance, is depictued as a motor 61 with drivepulley 62 supported on a bracket 63. Ropes 64 connected to the drivepulley 62 extend horizontally under the roof structure 15 along eachside of the mobile housing unit 11. The ropes 64 wind around pulleys 65positioned in the corners and in the center on each side and thencontinue downward to attach to the floor 36 at at least four spacedpoints outside the lower walls 38. The motor 61 can be powered by astorage battery or an external power source such as the electricalsystem of an automobile. The operation of the lifting mechanism 59 willbe explained hereafter.

As best seen in FIGS. 8-10, a door 66, comprising in this instance,three distinct panels, is provided to close off the openings 31, 53 and57. The door 66 could also be constructed of two panels with one panellarge enough to close off the largest opening provided. The two panels,if fully extended, will close ofi all the openings in the walls of theupper and lower parts defining an entrance to or exit from the mobilehousing unit 11. In FIGS. 9 and 10 is shown an upper door panel 67,which is of a sufficient area to cover the opening 31, and is connectedat one side to the vertical extending door frame member 32 by hinges 68.On the other side of the upper panel 67 is a sliding bolt 69 operablefrom the inside or outside of the panel 69 which permits the door 66 tobe locked shut by sliding bolt 69 through U- shaped retaining member 71fastened to the other vertical extending door frame member 32. The upperpanel 67 is hollow so as to telescopically receive a sec- 0nd panel 72and a third panel 73 which can be extended downwardly to close off thesecond opening 51 and third opening 55 respectively. A guide system 74depicted in FIG. is provided for the second and third panels 72, 73 toallow the third panel 73 to be guided so as to be telescopicallyreceived within the second panel 72, which is hollow, and the secondpanel 72 to be guided to allow it to be telescopically received in theupper panel 67 while maintaining the door 66 rigid in a vertical plane.

The third panel 73 is slightly smaller in area than the second panel 72.As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the second panel 72 has an outwardfacing channel 75 attached to each side thereof. A first tubular member76 is received in each channel 75. A vertical slot 77 is cut, oneachside of the door 66, into the upper portion of the side of the upperpanel 67. A first sliding guide means 78, such as a bolt with a nut at afixed distance from the head of the bolt, has its head welded to theupper outside corner of the first tubular member 76 and its bold portionis extending through slot 77.

The third panel 73 also has an outward facing channel 79 on each sidewith a second tubular member 81 received in each channel 79. A secondsliding guide means 82 is welded to the upper outward facing side of thesecond panel 72 and extends through a vertical slot 83 cut into theupper half of the inner facing surface of the first tubular member 76.

A third sliding guide means 84 is welded to the upper corner of theoutside surface of the second tubular member 81 and extends through avertical slot 85 cut through the lower portion of the inward side of thefirst tubular member 76 and through the upper portion of the outwardfacing side of the second panel 72. Vertical slot 85 is spaced laterallyfrom vertical slot 83 not to cause interference between sliding guidemeans 82 and 84.

A fourth sliding guide means 86 is welded to the lower corner of theinside surface of the second tubular member 81 and extends through avertical slot 87 cut into the lower portion of the outward side of thethird panel 73. The bottom of the third panel 73 can be directlyconnected to the floor 36 by a hook means 89 which can also be designedto serve as a hinge.

When the floor 36 is in its lowr position, the tubular member 76 extendsfrom approximately the middle of the hollow upper panel 67 to the middleof the second panel 72 since the sliding guide means 78 will bottom outin the upper slot 77. The second tubular member 81 will also extend fromthe middle of the second panel 72 to the middle of the third panel 73 assliding guide means 82 will ride in vertical slot 83 until it bottomsout.

The channels 75, 79 act as guide rails for the tubular members 76, 81which provide rigidity to the door 66 when the panel 67, 72 and 73 arefully vertically extended as seen in FIG. 10. The door 66 is hingedlysupported by the upper panel 67 from the upper part 22. The peripheralinside surface of the door 66 engages the outward facing surfaces of thedoor frame members 32, 33 52, 56 and floor jamb 58 to close off thefirst, second, and third openings 31, 51 and 55. Sealing strips 88 areattached to the outward facing surfaces of the door frame members asseen in FIGS. 6 and 7 to close off any air gaps caused by thedifferences in thickness of the various door panels 67, 72 and 73. Thehook means 89 locks the door 66 to the floor 36 on the out side of themobile housing unit 11 to allow the door 66 to be vertically extendedfrom its collapsed position as seen in, FIG. 8 to its extended positionas seen in FIG. 10 upon downward movement or lowering of the floor 36.

Attached to the underside of the floor 36 is a ball 91 to serve as acoupling means when received by a socket 92 attached to the roof ofmotor vehicle 23 as best seen in FIG. 5. The ball 91 is guided into thesocket 92 by a guiding means 93 mounted on the roof of motor vehicle 23.Further, the motor vehicle 23 incoporates two vertical members 94carried by stub members 95 horizontally extending outwardly from therear bumper on each side of the vehicle 23. The vertical members 94 alsohave a ball 96 at the top thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 1, a horizontal connecting mem ber 97 is pivotallyand hingedly attached to each support 14 above the coil springsuspension 24. The member 97 extends rearwardly from the support 14 andterminates in a socket 98. A triangular bumper 99 is attached-to themember 97 to abut vertical members 94. The socket 98 is coupled to theball 96 on each side of the motor vehicle 23 to the mobile housing until11 when the lower part 35 has been completely raised and the motorvehicle 23 has been received underneath the floor 36 and between thewheels 13.

THE OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be readily understoodfrom the description, when the floor 36 is in a raised position andreceived within the upper part 22, the second and third panels 72, 73and the tubular members 76, 81 serving as guiding and stabilizing meanshave been telescopically received in the upper door panel 67 as seen inFIG. 8. The door 66 is collapsed automatically by the upward forceapplied directly to the third and second panel 73, 72 by the verticalmovement of the floor 36 abutting the bottom side of the third panel 73.

The lower wall section 41 and the upper wall section 39 of the walls 38of the lower part 35 also vertically move in a telescopic manner uponthe upward movement of the floor 36. When the lower part 35 has beenfully received within the upper part 22 of the mobile housing unit 11,the lower wall section 41, the upper wall section 39 of the lower part35 and the stationary walls 21 of the upper part 22 are in an adjacent,nested position to each other as seen in FIG. 5. In an extended positionas best seen in FIG. 3, when the floor 36 has been lowered, the flange49 of the upper wall section 39 overlaps and abuts flange 18 of thestationary wall 21 and the flange 44 of lower wall section 41 overlapsand abuts flange 47 of the upper wall section 39 of the lower part 35 toprovide an interlocked and continuous exterior wall for the mobilehousing unit 11.

The vertically extending structural door frame members 32, 52 and 56,defining the door opening, extend outwardly from the walls 21, 38. Thesemembers are vertically moveable in a telescopic manner upon up wardmovement of the floor 36. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, with the dooropenings 31, 51 and in an extended position, the flange 53 of thestructural member 52 contiguous to the second opening 52 overlaps andabuts flange 34 of the vertically extending door frame member 32; andflange 57 of the door frame member 56 contiguous to the third opening 55overlaps and abuts flange 54 of the structural member 52. Thehorizontally extending member 33 with vertical members 32, 52 and 56serve as the door frame. The outward facing surfaces of the door framemembers 32, 33, 52 and 56 lie in one vertical plane as best seen in FIG.7. The door 66, which is slightly larger than the door openings 31, 51and 55, also lies in the same vertical plane. The door 66 is hingedlyconnected to allow pivotally movement between open and closed positionsso as to provide access to the mobile housing unit 11.

When the lifting mechanism 59 is actuated, the lower part 35 includingthe floor 36 is raised to permit a motor vehicle 23 to be receivedunderneath the upper part 22 between the supports 14. After thestanchions 28 are raised and motor vehicle 23 coupled to the mobilehousing unit 11 as heretofore described, the entire mobile housing unit11, in a piggy back manner although self-supported by wheels 13, ispropelled by the motor vehicle 23 to its destination. The vision of thedriver is not obstructed by the mobile housing unit 11 which is coupledto the motor vehicle 23 but selfsupported by the ground engaging wheels13. The furniture and appliances supported on the floor 36 are receivedwithin the upper part 22 during travel.

Upon reaching the destination, the motor vehicle is uncoupled at ball 96from socket 98 by pivoting member 97 and the stanchions 28 are lowered.Then the motor vehicle 23 is driven from underneath the upper part 22 ofthe mobile housing unit 11 which causes ball 91 to uncouple from socket92. Then, the lifting mechanism 59 is actuated and the floor 36 islowered.

As can be readily understood, the unique wall and door construction ofthe mobile housing unit 11 of this invention results in a housing unitof a large dimension when the lower part 35 has been lowered from theupper part 22, which is equal in size or even larger than most trailersor mobile homes on the market today. The extended door 66 permits egressand ingress without stooping. Upon vertical movement of the lower part35 into the upper part 22 so as to allow a propelling motor vehicle 23to be received under the upper part 22, a compact mobile housing unit 11is obtained. Such a unit on the road is safer as it is substantiallyless in length than an automobile pulling a conventional trailer. Thisis accomplished without sacrificing any space in the mobile housing unit11 when it is used for camping.

By having the lower part 35 telescopically collapse into two distinctsections before it is received in the upper part 22, the mobile housingunit 11 is not any higher than a conventional trailer when propelled bymotor vehicle 23 received between supports 14. Also the maneuverabilityis improved when the housing unit 11 is being driven on the highway dueto it being carried in a piggy-back manner instead of being pulledbehind the motor vehicle 23. When the mobile housing unit 11 is parkedand the floor 36 has been lowered, maximum headroom is achieved sincethe lower part 35 consisting of two sections is nearly twice the heightof the upper part 22' to provide the mobile housing unit 11 in anextended position an interior headroom of nearly 9 feet.

The invention disclosed will have many modifications which will beapparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of thisspecification. It is intended that all modifications which fall withinthe true spirit and scope of this invention be included within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-supported mobile housing unit in combination with aconventional automobile for propelling said unit, said mobile housingunit comprising an upper part carried by a framed structure andsupported on the ground by at least two supports, and a lower partinterconnected with said upper part, said upper part having a stationaryupper wall, said lower part comprising at least one upper wall section,one lower wall section and a horizontally extending floor, said onelower wall section connected at one end to said floor, said lower partbeing vertically moveable from an extended position below said upperpart with the floor substantially at ground level to a substantiallynested position within said upper part, said wall sections and saidfloor being maintained in perpendicular relationship during verticalmovement, said lower wall section and said one upper wall sectionvertically moveable from an extended position to a telescopically nestedposition with said stationary upper wall upon movement of the lower partto a substantially nested position within said upper part, a firstopening is provided in said stationary upper wall with said firstopening being framed on each side by a fixed door frame member, a secondopening is provided in said one upper wall section with said secondopening being framed on each side by a first vertically moveable doorframe member, and a third opening is provided in said one lower wallsection with the third opening being framed by a second verticallymoveable door frame member, one end of each of said second verticallymoveable door frame member being attached to said floor, said outwardfacing surfaces of said fixed, first, and second door frame memberslying in the same vertical plane, and a lifting mechanism operable tomove said lower part from the extended position into a substantiallynested position within said upper part, said lower part when in asubstantially nested position within said upper part defining an openingin the mobile housing unit below said raised lower part to allow atleast a major portion of said automobile to be received underneath saidlower part.

2. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 1 andwhich is further characterized in that said first door frame memberbeing positioned inwardly of said fixed door frame member in said secondopening, said second door frame member being positioned inwardly of saidfirst door frame member in said third opening, said second door framemember, said first door frame member, and said fixed door frame memberbeing in a telescopically nested position within said first opening whensaid lower part is being moved to a substantially nested position withinsaid first opening when said lower part is being moved to asubstantially nested position within said upper part upon actuation ofsaid lifting mechanism.

3. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 2 andwhich is further characterized in that a first opening is provided insaid stationary upper wall, a second opening is provided in said oneupper wall section, and a third opening is provided in said one lowerwall section, said first opening, second opening and third opening beingin vertical alignment when the lower part is in the extended position todefine a continuous opening lying in a vertical plane and extending fromthe floor in the lower part into said stationary wall in said upperpart.

4. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 3 andwhich is further characterized in that a door is hingedly attached toone of said fixed door frame members to allow pivotal movement of saiddoor between open and closed positions, said door being verticallymoveable from a fully extended position to a telescopically nestedposition.

5. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 4 andwhich is further characterized in that said door comprises a first panelfor covering said first opening, a vertically moveable second panelinterconnected to said first panel for covering said second opening, anda vertically moveable third panel interconnected to said second panelfor covering said openmg.

6. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 5 andwhich is further characterized in that, when said door is in a fullyextended position, said third panel is vertically moveable to atelescopically nested position within said second panel, and said secondpanel is vertically moveable to a telescopically nested position withinsaid first panel when said lower part is being moved to a substantiallynested position within said upper part upon actuation of said liftingmechanism.

7. The self-supported mobile housing unit of claim 5 and which isfurther characterized in that, when said door is in a fully extendedposition, the bottom of said door abuts said floor, said floor uponbeing raised by actuation of said lifting mechanism causing said thirdpanel to vertically move from an extended position to a telescopicallynested position within said second panel and said second panel tovertically move from an extended position to a telescopically nestedposition within said first panel.

8. The self-supported mobile housing unit of claim 4 which is furthercharacterized in that said door in a fully extended position and in aclosed position is lying in one vertical plane and is abutting saidoutward facing surfaces of said fixed, first, and second door framemembers.

1. A self-supported mobile housing unit in combination with aconventional automobile for propelling said unit, said mobile housingunit comprising an upper part carried by a framed structure andsupported on the ground by at least two supports, and a lower partinterconnected with said upper part, said upper part having a stationaryupper wall, said lower part comprising at least one upper wall section,one lower wall section and a horizontally extending floor, said onelower wall section connected at one end to said floor, said lower partbeing vertically moveable from an extended position below said upperpart with the floor substantially at ground level to a substantiallynested position within said upper part, said wall sections and saidfloor being maintained in perpendicular relationship during verticalmovement, said lower wall section and said one upper wall sectionvertically moveable from an extended position to a telescopically nestedposition with said stationary upper wall upon movement of the lower partto a substantially nested position within said upper part, a firstopening is provided in said stationary upper wall with said firstopening being framed on each side by a fixed door frame member, a secondopening is provided in said one upper wall section with said secondopening being framed on each side by a first vertically moveable doorframe member, and a third opening is provided in said one lower wallsection with the third opening being framed by a second verticallymoveable door frame member, one end of each of said second verticallymoveable door frame member being attached to said floor, said outwardfacing surfaces of said fixed, first, and second door frame memberslying in the same vertical plane, and a lifting mechanism operable tomove said lower part from the extended position into a substantiallynested position within said upper part, said lower part when in asubstantially nested position within said upper part defining an openingin the mobile housing unit below said raised lower part to allow atleast a major portion of said automobile to be received underneath saidlower part.
 2. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described inclaim 1 and which is further characterized in that said first door framemember being positioned inwardly of said fixed door frame member in saidsecond opening, said second door frame member being positioned inwardlyof said first door frame member in said third opening, said second doorframe member, said first door frame member, and said fixed door framemember being in a telescopically nested position within said firstopening when said lower part is being moved to a substantially nestedposition within said first opening when said lower part is being movedto a substantially nested positiOn within said upper part upon actuationof said lifting mechanism.
 3. The self-supported mobile housing unit asdescribed in claim 2 and which is further characterized in that a firstopening is provided in said stationary upper wall, a second opening isprovided in said one upper wall section, and a third opening is providedin said one lower wall section, said first opening, second opening andthird opening being in vertical alignment when the lower part is in theextended position to define a continuous opening lying in a verticalplane and extending from the floor in the lower part into saidstationary wall in said upper part.
 4. The self-supported mobile housingunit as described in claim 3 and which is further characterized in thata door is hingedly attached to one of said fixed door frame members toallow pivotal movement of said door between open and closed positions,said door being vertically moveable from a fully extended position to atelescopically nested position.
 5. The self-supported mobile housingunit as described in claim 4 and which is further characterized in thatsaid door comprises a first panel for covering said first opening, avertically moveable second panel interconnected to said first panel forcovering said second opening, and a vertically moveable third panelinterconnected to said second panel for covering said opening.
 6. Theself-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 5 and which isfurther characterized in that, when said door is in a fully extendedposition, said third panel is vertically moveable to a telescopicallynested position within said second panel, and said second panel isvertically moveable to a telescopically nested position within saidfirst panel when said lower part is being moved to a substantiallynested position within said upper part upon actuation of said liftingmechanism.
 7. The self-supported mobile housing unit of claim 5 andwhich is further characterized in that, when said door is in a fullyextended position, the bottom of said door abuts said floor, said floorupon being raised by actuation of said lifting mechanism causing saidthird panel to vertically move from an extended position to atelescopically nested position within said second panel and said secondpanel to vertically move from an extended position to a telescopicallynested position within said first panel.
 8. The self-supported mobilehousing unit of claim 4 which is further characterized in that said doorin a fully extended position and in a closed position is lying in onevertical plane and is abutting said outward facing surfaces of saidfixed, first, and second door frame members.